Burn eschar is conventionally removed by tangential excision with a knife. This procedure is not only associated with substantial blood loss but also with unnecessary removal of viable dermis. During the last decade hydrosurgery has become popular in burn surgery. Hydrosurgery is generally thought to be a more precise and controlled manner of burn debridement leading to preservation of more dermal viable tissue and possibly to better scar quality. The objective of this study is to compare scar quality after conventional tangential excision versus hydrosurgical excision in patients with deep dermal burn wounds.